I’ve tried eliminating coffee from my diet before. It worked, but somehow coffee’s call always boomeranged its way back into my life. It’s not really the caffeine that I miss, especially not the headaches that come by accidentally missing one’s daily dose, but just the cup of hot deliciousness. I’ve tried herbal teas, but just don’t love ’em. Pregnant times call for desperate measures and the wonderful world of the Internet showed the way to Teeccino, an herbal caffeine-free coffee substitute.

The Good:

No caffeine

Brews like coffee

Tastes good with milk and soymilk

Approved for pregnancy

Sold at the local health food store

Responsibly produced

Gluten-free

It’s better than no coffee

The Bad:

It’s not coffee

It’s not coffee

It’s still not coffee

It’s not locally produced

Not available at the local grocery store

Since it’s made from things like ramon nuts and carob and barley, wouldn’t it bad for your teeth to sip the stuff all day? I’m going to limit to my morning dose.

The Confusing:

It helps my acidity (What’s acidity and why does my body need help with it? Haven’t the Teeccino inventors ever pickled or canned anything? Don’t they know that most fruits and veg are naturally acidic? I guess I have to research that one more.)

Dr. Oz endorses it on tv (Um. Ok. Maybe I should watch more tv?)

Overall, it’s good stuff. I like the original flavor best, but I’ve also tried some of their flavored varieties with positive results. Here’s how to brew the perfect cup o’ ‘cino:

Add 1-2 Tbsp Teeccino to a 6-cup French press. Remember that coffee is measured in 4 oz. servings in those presses.

Add boiling water to fill.

Wait three minutes, press, pour, and drink.

I like my Teeccino with a splash of unsweetened soymilk. What are the ingredients in unsweetened soymilk? Soybeans and water. That’s. It. Regular soymilk has way too much sugar added. Even if it’s organic sugar, it’s still sugar.